Game



Oct. 30, 1923. 1,472,657

w. w. LILLARD GAME Filed April 14 1921 Patented Oct. 39, 1923.

a tense? Ian 5 ares PATENT" OFFICE.

WILLIAM wi LILLABD, or mass cirannw JERSEY.

GAME;

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM .VV. LILLARD,

a citizen of the United States, and a resi dent of Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented anew and Improved Game, of which the following is a full, clear, and correct description. I a

The invention relates to games played with objects moved about on a board having divisions or squares and particularly to a game called chess that is playedv by two persons on a board having sixty-four squares, each person or player ordinarily having sixteen chessmen, eight pieces and eight pawns. i

One object of the invention is to change or modify the above mentioned chess game to make it a more accurate image of a battle between armed forces of the present time. Another object is to introduce a small element of chance in this new chessgame in a manner that will increase the interest in the game, especially for young persons.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features used in combination with the well known chessmen on a chessboard as hereinafter shown and described and then specifically pointed out in the claims. l

It will be understood that in this application for Letters Patent the term chess man will mean any piece or pawn ordinarily used in playing the game of chess. And

the term chessmen? will mean the eight pieces and eight pawns commonly usedin chess games or any part of the totalnumber of pieces and pawns when they are con sidered as one body or group. v

A practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a partial plan View of a chess} board with some of the pieces and some of the pawns inside individual cases or covers. Y

Figure 2 shows sectional views of chess men in individual casesor covers. i V Figure 3 is a top view of acase or cove adapted to enclose any piece or'p'awn Figure 4 is a plan view of an identity plate, one of which is used in connection with each one of the chessmen; excepting the king pieces. a

vvised and played.

Application filed April 14, 1921." Serial No. 461,438.

1 Figure 5 is a plan view ofanidentity disc for card, one of which is used in connection with each one ofthe cases shown in F ig- 'ures2and3.' i 1 Figure 6 is a sectional view of anidentity disc and identity plate, the-former being in place in a recess in the topside of the latter. V Figure 7 is a top view of the same.

. Figure 8 is a plan view of an arrangement of an identity disc'in place in an identity plate whereby the former serves as a case and the latter as a chessman.

Figure 9 is a front view of a form of pocket chess I Figure 10 is a side view of the same. Figure 11 is a front view of the same with a case or cover on it to conceal the identity'of the chessman, i. e., the picture of the chessma'n. m a y The ame of chess is generally considered to resemble more closely than any other well known game the actions and movements of armed forces in battle. Battles of the present age, however, are foughtquite differently in some respects from those of ancient times when the game of chess was first de- In the wars of modern times, just before an important battle is to befought', much thought and effort is given by the commanders. of the opposing armies is usually done at night or through (woods or in some way that the enemy aeroplane operators and observers can not see them.

It will be at once admitted by any experienced chess player that one important phase of a modern battle, of placing the difi'erentbodies of the armies in advantageous battle positions, unobserved by the enemy, is not exemplified or shown in the game of cheeses itis now played. In the invention of applicant, the object of a player to position his chessmen in advantageous locations unawares tohis opponent is accomchessman that is commonly used in sets of I plished by providing an opaque case or cover :for each of the chessmen which will 4 hide them from viewyet allow them to be moved from square to square as readily as if they were not inclosedin cases. To enable a player to always be certainof knowing what case a particular chessman is in or under without havlng to resort to a severe trial of memory, each case has its individual mark by which it can be known. Thenif a simple memorandum is kept showing what pieceor pawnis in a case of a certain mark, and this systemfis carried outwith the other cases, apla-yer can alwaysknow the kind of chessman in eachbaseand his opponent will not except incertain cases hereinafter explained. i

- Befe'rring1to the drawings, 11 represents a playing board such as is commonly used in playing games of. chessorcheckers. 12 represents chessmen ofz-akind in common use. '13 are opaque cases or covers adapted to be placed over any of the chessmen 12,-

and will conceal the identity or character of the chessmen when so used.v Each of the cases 13 will have its'indi'vidual mark 23 which will preferably be a letter of; the alphabet or aifigure; Anyof the cases 13 can bejused with any of the chessmen 12,

although it is not intended that a case be placed over the king of either player. 14: represents a ches sman identity plate, the use of which is explained below. There Wlll bean identity plate. 14 for each one of the It will bechessmen 12, except the kings. understood that. the. kings can be played under cases and in such event identity plates 14 for the kings would be needed. Each identity plate 1 1 will be suitably .marked, preferably by a picture of apawn or some particular piece to show what kind of chess} man; it stands for or represents. Each identity plate 14-will be alike in size and appearance allthe'others except for its in dividual identity mark, i. e., picture. '15 is a case identitycard or disc. There will be one identity disc 15 for each case 13 and a disc 15 will have the same kind ofindividual mark 2 that the case 13 has which it represents, as explained below.

Referring to Figure 2, 16harechessmen" the chessinan tobe; conveniently grasped by the fingers for removing it fromthe case 13. 19 is a'beador fillet sectionat the top.

of the cases 13 which is desirablev that the cases can be conveniently handled and moved. about ona chessboard. It will be noted that the tapered section 17 on a pawn is' the same size asthat on a .piece andas the internal diameter of all the cases 13 will be the same, it will be seen thatany case 13 can be used on any chessman 16 whether it be apiece or pawn since each case 13 will be made deep enoughto. cover the tallest chessman The external dimensionsof-all the cases will preferably be the same, though thisis not entirely necessary.

Figure 7 the'identityidisc 15. is shown with itslettered face down; Figure 8 shows the identity plate 14: and the identity disc 15 when serving as substitutes for, respectively, a chessman 12 and a case 13. In Figure 8, the lettered face of the identity disc 15 is up. Thus it will be-seen that the identity plates'l l and the identity discs 15 can'be used together in two different ways. Also, the chessmen identity plates 14: can .be used as substitutesfo chessmen inplaying the regular chess games or in solving chess.

problems.

Referring to Figures. 9, 10, and 11, 112 is a form of chessman designed for use in sets of. pocket chess. It will preferably be a thin piece of card board or other suitable material with a picture of a chessman on its upper ends. 113 is a case or cover adapted ;for. use with the chessman 112. It will be noted that the case 113 "extends down over the chessman 112" only farenough to cover the. picture 1141. Themase 113 will preferably be made as a kindof envelope of opaque paper or similar material.

. It will be understood that all of. the different devices describedabove for use in playing the modified chess game of applicant will be divided preferably into two groups; one being of a different color from the other. I

In playing the modifiedv chessgame of the applicant, each player, at-the beginning of agame, will be allowed to position his chessmen in his first two ranks or rows of squares in any order ;he chooses. .He can put all of his pawns. in his first rank. if he sees fit to do so, which of course is; not likely, At the beginning of. a game, all of the ehessmen of each player, excepting their kings, willpreferably be in or. under the cases or covers 13. While a chessman is in a case, it willhave only, the moving rights and powers of a pawn. When apiece is removedfroin-its case,;it will havethe same moving rights and powers andprivileges that it has in the regular chess game. To remove a chessman from its case before both players have made game, has completed histwelfth move, each playe can remove all or as many of'his own chessmen as he'choosos from thelr cases. This PGIlOCl WllGIlthe chessmen are being uncased will be hereinafter called the zero hour, period of the game. Any chessmen removed from its case after the zero hour period will count as the move for player doing it. g

In playing the modified chess game of the applicant, it will often be very advantageous to a player to learn the identity, i. e., the exact kind'of chessman 'in a certain case 13 of his opponent. It will be understood that when a player places a ehessman in a certain case he will do it in such a way that his opponent will not see what-particular chess man goes in that particular case. A means is provided wherebyeither player can have an opportunity of learning the identity of some ofhis opponents chessmen 12 while still in their cases 13. This is accomplished in the following manner. Each player after placing a chessman 12 in a case 13, will place on the chessman identity plate-14 which represents the chessman just encased the identity disc 15 that has the same identifying mark as the case 13 just used for encasing the chessman 12. The identity disc will be placed with its marked face down as shown in Figure 7 and the identifying marks on both the disc 15 and the plate 14 will be hidden from sight. These sets of discs 15 and plates 14-, as shown in Figures 6 and 7 will be placed to one side and each playerv can pick out not exceeding six sets of his opponents discs and platesand examine them, thereby learning what particular kind of chessmen are under certain of his opponents cases. To secure the right to examine the above described sets of discs and plates belonging to his opponent, a player will forfeit or remove from his chessmen on the chessboard one of his pawns for each of the three sets examined.

It will be understood that in playing applicants game, that it is quite practicable to use the cases 13 for the purpose described without using the identity case discs 15 and the'identity plates 14. Also various substitutes for the discs 15 and plates 14, as shown, can be devised. For example, the name of a chessman and the mark of its case can be written on a piece of paperand placed in an envelope. The use of such a substitute, clearly does not depart from the spirit of the invention.

It will be further understood that the applicant does not limit his invention to the particular methods and rules 01": playing his new game as are noted above. For example, the cases can, by agreement between two players, be removed'from all the chessmen. when each playerhas completed his sixth move. 1 1

Except as described and explained above, the game of the applicant will preferably be governed by and played according to the rules, customs, and laws that apply to the well known game of chess.

It will be understoodhowever that the applicant does not limit the use of the identity concealing cases, identity plates,.and

identity discs to the modified game of chess as described above.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a game played with chessmen, individually marked means for concealing the identities of certain chessmen.

2. In a game played with chessmen, individually marked, opaque cases adapted to conceal the identities of certain of said chess- 3. In a game played on a checkerboard, in combination, chessmen and individually marked, movable means for concealing the identities of certain of said chessmen.

4. In a game played on a board having divisions, in combination, game pieces of different playing value and individually marked, movable means adapted to conceal the identity of certain of said game pieces. 5. A set of chessmen comprising various pieces and pawns of difierent forms and sizes, each of said chessmen being mounted on a tapered base element and all of said .base elements having the same form and size.

prising various pieces and pawns, as come 6. In combination, a set of chessmen commonly used, each of said chessmen bein mounted upon a tapered base element, all of said base elements having the same form and size and individually marked cases adapted to inclose said chessmen and fit closely about said tapered base elements.

7. In a game played with a plurality of objects of diiierent playing'value, a plurality of movable means adapted for concealing the playing value of certain of said objects, each of said means having a different identifying mark from the others.

8. In a game, a set or chessmen,a plu rality of movable means adapted for concealing the identities of certain of said chessmen, each of said means having an identifying mark.

9. In a game, a set of chessmen, a plurality of movable means adapted for concealing the identities of certain of said chessmen, each of sand means havmga different identifying mark from the others.

'10. In a game, in combination, a set of chessmen and a plurality of movable, opaque objects adaptedfor concealing the identities ofcertain of vsaid chessinen, each of said objects having a different identifying mark I from the others.

11. In a game, in combination,,a set of eh'essmen and aplurality of movable, opaque cases adapted to inclose certain of said chessmen, each of said cases having a dif- 1 ferent identifyin mark from the others.

12. Ina gan1e,.,a set of chessmen and a plurality of movable, opaque cases, each of said case's having a-different identifying mark from the others, said chessmen comprising tWo king pieces and a plurality of 15 AMELIA M: BEAUREGARD, JOHN R. M, OCoNNoR. 

